Presser-foot lifter for sewing-machines.



PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

APPLIUATION FILED FEILB. 1905.

INVENTORI B O fnJ.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATE$ PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED L. MADISON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO W ILLCOX AND GIBBS SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A,OOR-

PORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRESSER-FOOT LIFTER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed February 6, 1905. Serial No. 244,413.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. MADISON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented Improvements in Presser-Foot Lifters for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a to simple, economically-manufactured, and efli cient presser-foot lifter for sewing-machines.

In the accompanying drawings, .Figure l is a rear view of a sewing1nachine provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, on a larger scale, on the line 2 2, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the knee-lever.

In Fig. 1 I have indicated at A a sewingmachine head with a spring-pressed presserbar B, carrying a presser-foot b of any usual construction. C is a bell-crank lever pivoted at c to the sewing-machine head and having one arm to bear against the under side of a stud b on the presser-bar, while the other arm of this lever is joined by a suitable connecting-rod c to the upper arm of a bellcrank lever D, pivoted at (Z to the sewing- 0 machine head. The lower arm of this bellcrank lever D is connected, through a rod (1, to a lever E, pivoted at e to a studf on a bracket F on the under side of the work-table IV. I prefer to employ a spring to tend to 3 5 keep the outer end of this lever E, which is connected to d, pressed upward, so as to re lieve the presser-bar spring of its weight. For this purpose I may cast on the stud f a cupped projectionf and on the back end of the lever E a corresponding cupped projection 6, Figs. 2 and 3, and between these two projections and held in the cups thereof is placed a spiral spring 8. On the other side of the pivoting-point of this lever I may provide a stop 6 on the lever to contact with a stoplug f on the stud f on the bracket to limit the extent of upward motion of the outer end of lever E, Fig. 2. To actuate this lever E to cause the presser-foot to be raised, I provide a cross-shaft G, which is mounted in the bracket F and in a second bracket F on the under side of the Work-table. This crossshaft is provided with a cam g to bear on the upper side of the lever E. This cam is constructed with flanges g g, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, to embrace the lever E su'fliciently to always maintain the latter in position laterally. To the outer end of the shaft G, preferably beyond bracket F, is affixed a knee-lever H. I prefer the construction shown in Fig. 5. As there shown, the hub of the lever is made with a wedge-shaped opening h of sufficient size to slip freely over the end of the shaft G, and opposite the wedged-shaped part of the opening I set through the hub of the lever at right angles to the axis of the shaft a setscrew it, which when screwed u will bear against one side of the shaft an force the other side tightly into the wedged-shaped side of the opening.

As will be understood from the foregoing description and from the view Fig. 1, the sewinganachine operator has the knee-lever H in convenient position for his right knee, and when he wishes to raise the presser-bar without using his hands for the purpose he simply moves his right knee to the right, pressing the lever H over in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, so that the cam g presses down the lever E, and through the rods (1 c and bell-crank levers D O he raises the presserbar B and its foot 6 against the presser of the f springs.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the presser-bar of a 8 sewing-machine with a knee-lever and its cross-shaft, a cam on the crossshaft, and a lever on which the cam is adapted to bear and actuate the same in one direction only, and connections between said lever and the presser-bar.

2. The combination of the presser-bar of a sewing-machine with a knee-lever and its cross-shaft, a flanged cam on the cross-shaft, and a lever acted on by the flanged cam, and 5 connections between said lever and the presser-bar.

3. The combination of the presser-bar of a sewing-machine with a knee-lever and its cross-shaft, a cam on the cross-shaft, a springpressed lever acted on by said cam, and a stop and sto )-lug to limit the movement of the lever, and connections between the latter and the presser-bar.

I. The combination of a knee-lever and its IO 5 cross-shaft having a cam with brackets in which the cross-shaft is mounted, a lever pivoted to a stud on one of the brackets and adapted to be acted upon by the cam, the lever and stud having on one side of the pivot a stop and stop-lug, and on the other side of the ivot projections, between which is a spira s ring.

5. The combination of the'presser-bar of a sewing-machine with a lever and connections to the bar, a shaft having a cam to act on the said lever, and a knee-lev, having a wedgeshaped opening in its hub to fit over the end of shaft, and a set-screw to force the end of the shaft into the wedge.

In testimony whereof I have signed my [5 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED L. MADISON.

' Witnesses SAMUEL A. SWART, JAHIAL PARMLY. 

